I like The Shack for it's enlightening view on God's place in our lives, and I also appreciate the lengthy explanations of the trinity. The most powerful section for me is when Mack "reunites" with his father, which is perhaps symbolic of the author forgiving his own father for the abuse he suffered as a child. The book is not well-written, but it's not intended to be; rather, it is the author's way of working through the grief in his own life. ( )

One of the best spiritual books I have ever read.  If you take everything in the Bible as literal - then this book is not for you.  But if you are willing and able to think outside of the box about who God is, then this is a must read.  This book as a sum is rather uninteresting, but take the parts, the great lines about God and who he/she really is and it is a gem of a read.  I feel like I am a better person for having read The Shack and the relationships I have with others will benefit also. ( )

Very interesting.... the story about the daughter was very touching. The middle dragged a bit. I did like the enlightening view on religion. ( )

Interesting concepts. The author attempts to deconstruct our traditional views of God by such techniques as portraying him as a large black woman. It's not quite what I think of when I think of God, but it's very clever!

In some ways, the ideas of the book are interesting, but I did not find much unique or original in it (most of the ideas presented I had already thought about in relationship to God). One thing was interesting to me that I had not considered before: by lying to his wife in order to "protect" her from the hurtfulness of the truth, he inadvertently prevented her from receiving the wonderful blessing of meeting God in the shack. So often we lie to prevent others from feeling pain. Who are we to judge what others can and cannot, should and should not handle? Is the truth always more important than emotion or even mental stability? By not telling the truth or being completely honest, do we hinder other people from opportunities to grow? Something to think about.

One thing that I think the book should have addressed more fully is the issue of God's wrath. God did destroy people in the Old Testament. Not just "allowed" them to be destroyed by the consequences of their actions, but actively destroyed them - sometimes in such drastic means as opening up the earth and swallowing them whole. How do you reconcile this with the author's concept of God's kindness and love? I have my ideas on this subject, but I think the author writes this off too easily with an appeal to emotion rather than intellect. ( )

This is a book that will open your eyes to to new world... a world that has you in a relationship with Jesus. It was fascinating and moving. The story was told as if "you" were the main character. And it unveils things in our lives that we just hang on too..... A Must Read. ... Moving and will change the way you think and act to others and most important ...."yourself". ( )

Well-written story of why bad things happen to good people. The author knows how to explain this difficult fact of life. ( )

Being my first ebook on my Cooler ereader, I wanted to get to the end! I'm not sure I would have done if I'd bought the paperback. I thought it was poorly written. The characterisation was weak, there was little feeling of suspense and the plot didn't move on very well. I think if you take it as a vehicle for a spiritual message then you may enjoy it and get a lot from it, but it shouldn't win any prizes for skilful writing. The book aims to paint a picture of what God is like, in the three persons of the Trinity, dispelling preconceived ideas about who God is and what God wants of us. It deals with the question of how can you believe or trust in God in a world full of pain and evil, and attempts to answer the question of how God can let this happen and still be good. I have a feeling that this book will be read by people who are already Christians, who wish to deepen their understanding of their faith. I'm afraid I found it unconvincing, but I know many people have been touched and deeply affected by it. ( )

Sadly, it was one of the worst books I have ever read. The writing wasn't great, the story was very predictable. Highly disappointing waste of time. ( )

If you aren't spiritual, or your spirituality doesn't have room for a Christian take on God, you won't be able to get through this without your eyes hurting from all the rolling they'll be doing.

While there is a little twist on the usual understanding of God, it is very Christian in concept and could be very comforting if you can relax into the story. There is no action, no excitement and not really much character development, outside of conversations that are intended to "educate" the reader about the love of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

Keeping all that in mind, it's an engaging study of a man's belief, and how his belief comforted him after a tragedy. For what it is, it is well done. ( )

Mack, a young father whose daughter is kidnapped and likely murder, receives a note that seems to come from God. The note directs him to a shack for a personal visit. When Mack arrives, he discovers God is a black woman and Jesus is ready to hang out and chat. They discuss matters of religion, spirituality, earthy questions, etc and Mack finds comfort in the caring and beauty he finds in the shack. For me, it was hard to swallow given that I thought the writing was fairly poor, the character of Mack fairly wooden and the "shock" of the appearance of God and Jesus not that shocking. While a nice read, nothing special. ( )

Thoroughly enjoyed reading this, once I'd got into it, and can see what all the fuss is about. ( )

I'm still thinking about this book now that I am done. I rushed to the end, because it was getting a little monotonous with packing so much theology into a loosely collected story. For fiction it would be easily no more than three stars. As a book on religion and theology, I would give it a little more like four stars for stuff to think about.

Next book please. ( )

I thought The Shack was an interesting quick read. The author writes fantastic, and really gets you into the novel. I loved the story at the begining how they were going camping, and Mac losing his little girl Missy. I thought that was really sad. I wanted the Little LadyKiller to get caught. What I wanted from this novel was for the killer to get caught, and get the punishment he deservedOverall the whole experience Mac had with God, was far-fetched. Like: changing an old shack into this beautiful cabin with flowers etc. Also when Mac walked on water with Jesus. It did change his life for the better. He was able to forgive his father for what happened in the past. Getting over his daughter's death. Showing that Religion is man-made, and it's just about living life to the fullest, and loving people around you. ( )

I made it my nightstand book and read it in two nights. And I really enjoyed it!

When I first heard about this book, I thought it looked like a scary novel. A murder mystery. A horror book. Something along the lines of Stephen King. Umm..no. Definitely no.

This novel packs a lot of punch. The first part is so agonizing. It deals with the family vacation and a daughter's abduction. It's heart wrenching. But the second half is definitely more philosophical and theological. It addresses that hard questions. Those "why do bad things happen to good people?" and "why does God allow it?" and "how does one forgive?".

It's definitely a Christian based book. And it might not appeal to everyone and will be pretty controversial. But for me, well it got to me and it's definitely going to be a re-reader. I am really curious what other people think and it would be a great book club pick. There are some really great points but then there are some that I'm not sure I agree with. So it's a great discussion book. My one complaint is the writing is a bit too simplified for me. I guess that's meant to draw in a wider audience but I kind of like my books to have a bit of meat to them. ( )

The book was moving, it got me closer to be the higher being and appreciate the little things. To understand that everything that happens has a purpose and that purpose is always for the good,

A must read. Everyone I believe will come away from this with a better understanding of themselves and God. The book makes you think.

Fantastic book. I didn't try to put a spin on it or make it fit my theology. It is a great work of fiction, but does open your eyes to some possibilities. There were one or two spots where I got a little confused, but other than that, great book. ( )

"The Shack" is a one of a kind invitation to journey to the very heart of God. Through my tears and cheers, I have been indeed transformed by the tender mercy with which William Paul Young opened the veil that too often separated me from God and from myself. With every page, the complicated do's and don't that distort a relationship into a religion were washed away as I understood Father, Son and Holy Spirit for the first time in my life. --Patrick M. Roddy, ABC News Emmy Award winning producer

Finally! A guy-meets-God Novel that has literary integrity and spiritual daring. "The Shack" cuts through the cliches of both religion and bad writing to reveal something compelling and beautiful about life's integral dance with the Divine. This story reads like a prayer--like the best kind of prayer, filled with sweat and wonder and transparency and surprise. When I read it, I felt like I was fellowshipping with God. If you read one work of fiction this year, let this be it. --Mike Morrell, zoecarnate.com

When the imagination of a writer and the passion of a theologian cross-fertilize the result is a novel on the order of "The Shack." This book has the potential to do for our generation what John Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress" did for his. It's that good! --Eugene Peterson, Professor Emeritus of Spiritual Theology, Regent College, Vancouver, B.C.

Great inspirational book. ( )

A filha mais nova de Mackenzie Allen Philip foi raptada durante as férias em família e há evidências de que ela foi brutalmente assassinada e abandonada numa cabana. Quatro anos mais tarde, Mack recebe uma nota suspeita, aparentemente vinda de Deus, convidando-o para voltar áquele cabana para passar o fim de semana. Ignorando alertas de que poderia ser uma cilada, ele segue numa tarde de inverno e volta a cenário de seu pior pesadelo. O que encontra lá muda sua vida para sempre. Num mundo em que religião parece tornar-se irrelevante, "A Cabana" invoca a pergunta: "Se deus é tão poderoso e tão cheio de amor, por que não faz nada para amenizar a dor e o sofrimento do mundo?" As respostas encontradas por Mack surpreenderão você e, provavelmente, o transformarão tanto quanto ele. ( )

First and foremost, I read this book with an open mind and I also read it as a work of fiction. Secondly, in the book Jesus says that He is not a Christian, of course Jesus was not a Christian. He was born a Jew, through the line of King David on His adoptive father's side and out of the tribe of Judah on His mother's side.

All of that being said, this book really sucked me in. It is the story of a family man, Mack, who takes his children out on a camping trip and in the short amount of time it took for him to swim out on the lake to save one his sons from an overturned canoe, he lost a daughter on shore to a killer. No one sees a thing. And though Mack, the other campers and the authorities search and search for clues, they find nothing but Missy's bloodied dress in an old shack. Mack returns home to his wife and family whom he had sent on ahead of him. They have a memorial service for their Missy and try to go on with their lives.
More than three years later this Christian family is still trying to come to terms with the loss of Missy. They have a "family name" for God whom they call "Papa" and one day Mack goes out to the mailbox and finds a note from "Papa". The note says:
"Mackenzie,
It's been a while. I've missed you.
I'll be at the shack next weekend if you want to get together."
It is signed: "--Papa"

The remainder of the book tells the "story" of what happens at "The Shack" during that timespan and the few days afterward.

I found this book strangely compelling. After reading all the controversy regarding it I didn't expect to care about it. I was wrong, I did care about this book a great deal. I loved the character Mack and found him to be very human. I liked all 3 of the characters of the Trinity that Mack met at "the shack". I cared about his children, his wife Nan, and his friend Willie.
I highly recommend this book for the religious and nonreligious; for the Christian and the nonChristian, for the believer and the nonbeliever. I found it to be well written, easily understood and was quickly immersed into the story. I think that most readers with an open mind would find it so as well. ( )

I truly loved this book. It was beautifully written and certainly poignant. I found my own questions being answered in a way I had never thought possible and it rekindled in me a fire for "Papa" that I had been allowing to be extinguished. This book goes beyond theology to the heart of our relationship with GOD and what that means in our lives. I am so glad to have encountered this book! ( )

Before I read this book, my reading-buddy told me it was a little preachy in the middle. She was right! I was reading it for the story, and so when Mack began to talk to God in the shack, I got impatient and started skipping and skimming in order to get back to the story. When I finished the book, I went back to the middle to read about what went on at the shack after Mack met God, and it was really good! I don't actually know how it could have been better, but maybe if the story had been integrated into the conversations just a little bit more, I wouldn't have wanted to skip so badly. In the end, I have to admit I got a lot out of the "conversations' and they seemed very believable. I already want to read this book again! ( )

If you can suspend your traditional ideas about what the Trinity "look like" and act like, this books serves as a powerful metaphor for the relationship which God wants to have with us. Truly inspiring. It will open your heart to a new level of intimacy with God. ( )

The Shack is a book like no other. With almost 8 million copies in print, it has been on the New York Times Best Seller List for 64 consecutive weeks and has been the #1 bestseller on that list for 51 weeks. Film producers have expressed interest and there are websites dedicated to this book. The author's website even has a "Missy Project" for suggestions of how readers can promote this book. The book draws reviewers who say it has restored their faith in God and changed their life. Another reader calls it significant, stirring, special. A professor of Spiritual Theology compares it to Pilgrim's Progress. The author asks, "Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?" He promises answers that will astound and transform you. Amazon ranks the book #14 in sales, #1 bestseller in Christian Literature, #1 in Literary Fiction, #3 in the Mystery category, etc. etc. The numbers change hourly, but you get the point. This is a smash hit, not unlike any of Dan Brown's novels. Or, perhaps for some readers, The Shack is the answer to Dan Brown's books. There are thousands of reader reviews of the book. Mine will be #3,613 or thereabouts.

When I review a book, I evaluate plot, character, setting, description, pace. I might talk about sentence structure, use of metaphors, the logic in the argument the writer puts forth. How well does he structure the novel? How well does he craft his sentences? Does the magic of his words allow us to suspend our disbelief? But how can I pit logic and skill against faith? How can I argue with lives that have been healed by Mr. Young's writing? How can I put forth any argument of reason when faith has nothing to do with reason. I remember a couple telling me about their arguments. When she was upset about something, the husband would explain to her in rational detail why she need not be upset. (Don't cry, it's only a movie. Just because I don't like your dress doesn't mean I don't think you're pretty. I know I forgot to buy you flowers, but I do love you.) But the wife's response, after the husband had tried to explain away her sadness in a logical fashion, was: Then why am I still crying?

Therefore, I have decided that the only reasonable review I can give this book is to say that all of us are right: the ones that are transformed by it and the ones that find it lacking. My Kindle book version of The Shack is filled with numerous notes along the margins. As these notes would fill several pages, I won't reprint them all, but I have decided to give you a selection of them in lieu of a formal review. This way, you'll be able to come along with me on this conflicting journey I was on while reading The Shack. Also, I haven't a clue as to how many stars to give this book. As review sites force me to pick a rating, I'll go with 3, but want you to know that it's more like 0 - 5, depending on which part I was reading. Well, here are my notes:
* Good metaphor!
* Hugs?
* The fear of every parent!
* Cheesy, hokey, weird!
* Hugs again?
* Finally we come to Missy! What happened to her? Where is she?
* How come Jesus speaks like a school counselor?
* Mack is childish and churlish.
* Hogwash!
* Important statement, but not sure I understand.
* Why "eh"? Is God a Canadian?
* Psychobabble!
* How many times has author used the word relationships?
* Very true!!!
* Christ is not a Christian? Of course not! Good point!!
* What does this mean?
* Good question!
* Why do these celestial creatures speak like shrinks?
* To "grow" our relationship? UGH! P-lease Mr. Young, loose these buzz words!
* Idiotic!
* Grammar error.
* Lots of smiling and hugging and Mack saying HUH? Exactly my reaction to this book--HUH?
* Well said and so true!
* Hugs again? I'm getting tired of them!
* Wouldn't God know that a middle-aged male with lots of stress should not be eating bacon?
* But we humans find comfort in ritual and routine!
* Does God really say, I don't "do" humiliation? My long-gone writing teacher Wirt Williams is turning over in his grave!
* Beautiful and true. Well said!
* I could not forgive someone I have not met. Why doesn't Mack ask to meet him?
* Why doesn't Mack ask God a lot of questions. Is there life on other planets? Will Obama prevail with his health care plan? What are the winning Powerball numbers for the next drawing?
* Closure? Ugh again! Really, truly dislike this author's choice of buzz words!!!
* I think I'm getting into these hugs. What's happening to me?
* Good question!
* Very nice!
* No, no, no! You take her home to her mother! And Kate needs to see this box too!
* Oh, no! Didn't expect this!
* Cheating the reader by taking us on this long ride and in the end . . . But that would be giving away THE END.

Is this the oddest review you've ever read? Well, this is the oddest book I've ever read. As you can see from my notes, I was on quite a roller-coaster ride of approval vs. disapproval. Part of the plot makes the story riveting, on-the-edge-of-your-seat reading, while the rest of it too often just drags on. While I won't tell you the ending, the "After Words" ends with a wonderful poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Now, there's a fitting end to the story! ( )